State and Local Public Health Resources

One of the most crucial components of any public health campaign is communicating time-sensitive information to people in areas affected by public health threats. Since most public health concerns are local or regional in nature, the responsibility for getting information out to the public in a timely manner falls to state and municipal health departments.

From consumer product recalls and food safety warnings, to the latest information on infectious disease outbreaks and vaccinations, state and local health department websites serve as the best resources available for getting the information you need to keep you and your family out of harm’s way.

Whether you’re a healthcare professional looking to isolate the source of a food borne illness or a concerned parent looking to keep your child’s vaccinations current, your state and local health departments will provide you with the latest information on how to keep your family and your community healthy and safe.

Alabama

Because of the range of issues public health professionals tackle, an equally broad range of organizations across Alabama employ these professionals as they concentrate on specific challenges within their fields of expertise.

State and county health departments such as these are among the top employers of public health professionals in the state:

Arizona

Public health organizations from all sectors of society want to recruit qualified professionals to improve the health and well-being of all Arizonans. The following are just some of the organizations operating in the state offering informational resources and potential job opportunities to aspiring public health professionals.

Arkansas

Aspiring students of public health and job candidates can find additional resources with agencies such as these. Just as these organizations are happy to provide public health services, they can also be forthcoming with information for prospective colleagues.

California

There are literally hundreds of public, private, and non-profit public health organizations operating throughout California. This wide range of associations and organizations allows qualified professionals the opportunity to get involved in virtually every field of public health that exists. The following are examples of some of the many organizations dedicated to improving public health in California.

Colorado

Colorado is home to numerous public, private, and non-profit organizations that are dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and inter-agency cooperation throughout the state. Some of these organizations include:

Delaware

Delaware is home to a variety of governmental, private, and non-profit public health organizations. These can be devoted to one particular public health issue or can be an umbrella organization that provides many resources for many issues:

Florida

Together these organizations make up a formidable force designed to promote public health across the state of Florida. Public health organizations may be governmental or non-governmental, as is indicated by the following examples:

Hawaii

Public health professionals are essential to ensuring that public health initiatives are successful. From disease investigation and public health nursing to environmental protection and chronic disease management and control, public health professions in Hawaii are critical to the health and well-being of the citizens of Hawaii.

In the State of Hawaii, the majority of public health professionals are employed through the DOH’s district health offices, which are located in:

These district-level agencies work closely with the DWH, as well as other state and local agencies. Each district has a board of health that is appointed by county commissioners within that region. The public health professionals in each district vary depending on the specific needs of that district.

Outside of the state’s public health districts, public health programs are carried out every day by private and non-profit organizations and institutions, such as:

Indiana

One of the largest employers of public health professionals in Indiana is undoubtedly the ISDH. The programs and initiatives of the ISDH are often implemented at the county level. Some of the largest county health departments in Indiana include:

Public health careers, however, certainly exist well beyond the public health departments of Indiana. Just a few of Indiana’s private, education, and non-profit institutions and organizations where public health professionals may find a wealth of professional opportunities include:

Kansas

From health promotion and communication specialists to mental health professionals and emergency management experts, public health in Kansas is diverse and careers are plentiful. The largest pool of public health professionals is likely found through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Division of Public Health.

There are 100 local health departments in Kansas, all of which are governed by local boards of health or county commissions (Kansas is just one of 27 states that has a decentralized public health governance structure, which means that local health departments are locally controlled).

Maine

Maine’s public health infrastructure includes state, community, and nonprofit organizations that collaborate to establish and maintain a public health network instead of the classic state model of multiple sub-state departments.

Massachusetts

The most obvious source for public health jobs in Massachusetts is the DPH, which has local health agencies throughout the state. Just a few of the health departments in Massachusetts that employ public health professionals include:

Mississippi

Many students who are enrolled in public health-related programs find career opportunities within Mississippi’s state-sponsored health departments upon graduation. Links to the MSDH and the many county public health departments may be found below:

Missouri

Many MPH graduates in Missouri become employed through the state, as each city and county in Missouri has its own health department. Just a few of the government-sponsored health departments in Missouri include:

Because of the vast amount of collaboration between Missouri’s DHSS and outside public health organizations, many public health students find jobs outside of state agencies. Several nonprofit organizations and private companies that employ public health professionals include:

Montana

For men and women looking to make a difference through a career in public health, Montana may be the perfect state to find employment. Professionals in the field may find employment opportunities through both state and nonprofit organizations, as well as in the private sector. Hospitals, health centers, and county health departments are just a few of the places public health workers go to work every day.

There is a large nonprofit sector within Nebraska as well, giving aspiring public health professionals a variety of career options. Just some of the nonprofits that work within the sphere of public health include:

Additionally, Nevada is home to a number of nonprofits that employ public health professionals. In addition to carrying out the organizations’ unique initiatives, many of these employees work directly with the state to implement health programs.

New Jersey

New Jersey is home to many organizations that are involved in public health promotion, activism, and research. These organizations are found across the public and private spectrum. Some examples include:

New Mexico

New Mexico is home to numerous agencies that are dedicated to specific niches in the public health field as well as those that act as umbrella associations for several public health organizations. These resources are managed by the government as well as by non-profit and private agencies.

New York

Because of the breadth of the public health sector in New York, employers can be found at the local, county, state, and national levels. Public health employers include everything from government agencies to non-profit organizations, and even private sector corporations.

Some examples of the many organizations and agencies operating throughout New York include:

North Carolina

There are numerous public, private, and non-profit organizations providing invaluable resources for residents of North Carolina. These range from mental health organizations to environmental testing agencies. Some examples include:

Ohio

Organizations and agencies throughout Ohio offer a wide array of public health resources. These range from governmental agencies to private sector corporations to non-profit organizations, and include everything from niche-specific agencies to broad coalitions.

Oregon

There are hundreds of public health agencies operating at the state and local levels throughout Oregon’s metropolitan areas and rural counties. These agencies focus on everything from umbrella issues and national advocacy to specific challenges in a particular geographic area. Examples include:

Pennsylvania

Public, private, and non-profit organizations work throughout Pennsylvania to address and resolve public health challenges on all fronts – both individually and as coalition organizations. Among these organizations are:

Rhode Island

Nearly all public health jobs in Rhode Island are found through state agencies or nonprofit organizations. Fortunately, there are a large number of nonprofit organizations, particularly hospitals, within the state, all of which employ a wide variety of public health professionals:

South Carolina

Jobs for public health professionals in South Carolina can be found in a variety of state, nonprofit, and private organizations and companies that develop and implement public health programs and practices. The following is a list of schools, hospitals, research companies, and health departments that currently employ public health workers.

South Dakota

Most professionals in South Dakota’s public health sector are employed with the state. Nurses, social workers, and community outreach specialists, for example, often find work through state-run public health centers. Additionally, many nonprofit organizations and a few private businesses in South Dakota employ the services of public health professionals. What follows are some of the many public health employers found throughout South Dakota:

Tennessee

There are a large number of state agencies, as well as organizations across the public and private sectors that employ Tennessee’s public health professionals. A sampling of these employers can be found below:

Texas

With an array of diverse jobs stemming from equally diverse organizations and companies, the career possibilities in Texas’s public health sector are nearly endless. What follows are just some of the state, nonprofit, and private employers that make up the public health community in Texas:

Vermont

Vermont’s Department of Health leads the various public health programs that the state develops. What follows are links to the state’s Department of Health, a few of its subsidiaries, and some of the many nonprofit hospitals in the state that employ public health professionals:

Virginia

Virginia’s public health employers are diverse, ranging from state and municipal government organizations to nonprofits to private companies. Professionals in the state, particularly those with a Master of Public Health, have many options when deciding where to apply for work. The following is a list of just some of Virginia’s public health employers:

West Virginia

West Virginia’s DHHS employs nearly 6,000 public health workers, making state employment a viable option for new and advancing public health professionals. In the nonprofit realm, the WVUHS is the state’s second largest employer, providing roughly 25 percent of West Virginia’s inpatient hospital care. West Virginia is also home to several private organizations that employ public health professionals.